


Erased

by AmuletMisty (AmuletStormfall)



Series: CxB Week 2015 [4]
Category: Legion of Super Heroes (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 07:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16572098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmuletStormfall/pseuds/AmuletMisty
Summary: [Post S208 - Message in a Bottle] 'Sometimes, Brainy wondered how memories were like for humans.'





	Erased

**Author's Note:**

> Re-posted from deviantart. Originally published Sep 24, 2015.  
> Oh wow, why did I make a headcanon like this? ...It's great.

Sometimes, Brainy wondered how memories were like for humans.

His were just mostly data.

This came in handy in a lot of ways, most obviously when he needed to back himself up. He could keep all the memories that he had accumulated so far, all in one small chip. Even if his files were corrupted, he could be reinstalled, just like that.

If he wanted to, he could just simply erase memories too. Memories that he didn’t want to recall.

He never did erase anything, though.

His wish to become more human kept him from doing so.

That didn’t stop him from locking memory files away, though.

One in particular, he had locked so far away in his mind that sometimes he almost forgot it existed.

Almost.

xxxxx

 

“It’s great to have a breather for once,” said Superman, sitting down, basking in the moonlight. “With everything going on with Imperiax, I’m glad we could just spend a day forgetting it all.”

“ _I_ didn’t forget about it,” Brainy corrected. “I keep important memory files ready for easy access.”

“Not even when that clown was being chased by the Horstrich?” Superman raised an eyebrow at him.

“…That may have been an exception.” Brainy cracked a smile, and the two of them started laughing, recalling the scene.

Saturn Girl had somehow convinced Cosmic Boy to let them take turns having a day off for that week. Apparently, the threat of Imperiax and his army were causing some of them too much stress, and she was certain that it would affect their ability to fight if their enemy struck.

Superman and Brainy ended up having the same day free. Brainy may or may not have tempered with the scheduling to ensure that outcome, but that wasn’t important. Superman had actually been the one to invite Brainy out for the day – he had said something about it being a long time since they just hung out. Brainy couldn’t have agreed more. He missed the days before Superman had gone back – they used to spend a lot of time together, playing chess against each other, among other things.

Brainy suggested that they went and watched a 31st century styled circus. Superman had been very impressed with it all, so Brainy became very proud of his decision to take him there.

The show had finished late in the evening, and the two decided to wind down. The location of the circus happened to be located in where Smallville used to be. Some of the countryside had remained the same under protection acts, so it was the perfect place for them to rest.

The Kryptonian had chosen a spot where they could lie down and watch the moon and stars. Brainy was hesitant at first, not wanting to get grass on his armour but after some coaxing, he joined Superman.

They laid in perfect silence, a soft breeze blowing over them. Brainy glanced at Superman – he had his eyes closed, seemingly soothed by the wind. The wind didn’t make him feel much, but he did feel at peace at the sight of Superman.

“Hey…Brainy,” he spoke, suddenly, though he didn’t open his eyes.

“Yes, Superman?”

“Why didn’t you tell me about…the original Brainiac?”

 _The original Brainiac?_ Brainy tensed up. Why did Superman know about that? He was sure that he erased his memory after they got back from Krypton. Had his memory wiper malfunctioned?

“Who told you about that?” he asked him carefully.

“Kell did,” said Superman, opening his eyes. “We were talking and he told me to be careful when I said I was going somewhere with you. I asked him why he was so guarded around you, sometimes and eventually he told me why.”

“I see.” So it hadn’t been a mistake on his part after all. “Are you angry that I didn’t tell you?” Superman had been angry he first time around.

“A little,” he admitted, “but mostly I was just wondering why you wouldn’t tell me.” He turned his head to look over at Brainy. “And don’t just say it was to protect this future – I have the feeling it’s more than that.”

“I was afraid of how you would react.” Brainy had said this before. He had also heard Superman’s response before too, he wasn’t ready for him to be angry again. Perhaps it was because of that, that he added, in a small voice, “I didn’t want you to hate me.”

“Brainy…” Superman said softly. “I wouldn’t hate you over that. I know it wasn’t you that did it. I’d think you’d know me better than that.”

“I know…I just…I couldn’t risk it. You mean everything to me.”

Was it because they were alone? Was it the moonlight? Was it the relief that Superman reacted differently this time? He supposed it didn’t matter. No matter the reason, all Brainy knew was that he had slipped up, by the way Superman’s eyes were widening.

It was Brainy who was made of machinery, but he swore he could hear the gears turn in Superman’s mind. Until something clicked.

“Brainy, what do you mean?”

Though he asked that, Brainy could see something different in his eyes.

_He knows._

“Nothing.” Brainy sat back up, escaping Superman’s gaze and bringing up his knee to lean against.

_He knows._

“Brainy…I know what I’m saying may be wrong but do you…” He paused as if trying to find the right words to phrase it.

_He knows._

“Do you have…feelings for me?”

Superman _knew_ and Brainy couldn’t look him in the eye.

“I’m sorry Superman, but what you were saying was indeed wrong,” Brainy lied, without a second thought.

“You know, I can tell when you’re lying to me.”

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Why would you lie about this?”

He sounded hurt.

Brainy lifted his eyes from the ground and looked back at Superman.

“…Many reasons, really. The fear that you wouldn’t return them, was one of them.”

Superman opened his mouth.

“But mostly, I was afraid that you _would_ return them.”

That seemed to stun the Man of Steel. “I don’t understand.”

“We couldn’t be together,” Brainy said. “We’re from different times, different lives.”

“That doesn’t stop me from being in the Legion,” Superman pointed out.  “Why would you think that it would stop me from being with you?”

“It’s just not how it’s meant to be.” Superman didn’t know yet, about his future but Brainy knew all about it.

“Even if our feelings are mutual?”

“Yes, Superman, even if –”

He cut himself off as he processed the words.

“You…I…”

His mechanical heart squeezed, as Superman took one of his hands.

He looked down at their hands in wonder, then back up at Superman’s face. Nothing in his memory bank could match the image of the gentle look Superman was giving him right now. He felt Superman’s other hand caress the side of his face, pulling it closer to his.

“Can I…?” He whispered.

Brainy nodded before he closed his eyes.

For a moment, he really did forget about everything. There was just him and Superman. Nothing else mattered.

However, reality could only be put on hold for so long.

Brainy pulled away. “We can’t.”

“But Brainy I-”

“ _We can’t.”_

He wasn’t sure whose heart he was breaking more, Superman’s or his own. For once, it was a good thing he didn’t have a human heart. He didn’t think he could bear the pain if he did.

Superman was still holding his hand, and he tightened his grip around it.

“Brainy…”

“I’m sorry.”

He let go.

“I…understand. Don’t apologise, Brainy.” Superman tried to smile. “At least…we’ll still be friends, right?”

“Right.” Brainy smiled too. “Always.”

A purple wire rose up from his shoulder.

“I really am sorry.”

A white flash interrupted the darkness.

As it faded, so did Superman’s memories.

xxxxx

Sometimes, Brainy wondered how memories were like for humans.

His were just mostly data.

Humans’ weren’t as simple.

Superman had come out from his momentary daze wondering what happened. He had not been able to remember the moment that they had shared only that he thought there was something wrong. Brainy had informed him that he had just been able to wake Superman up, telling him that he had fallen asleep on the grass. He had also said he hoped Superman wasn’t still angry about keeping his ancestry secret. Superman had taken that to mean that he went off alone to cool his head – he never suspected that Brainy had been lying here with him this whole time. He had even apologised to Brainy.

It was only because he was a machine that he could do that to Superman.

He knew that it was the right thing to do.

Brainy supposed that if his memories were human, if he couldn’t lock that moment away that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

Sometimes, though, he thought that the memory hadn’t been all bad. Sometimes, he almost felt like taking it out, to remember Superman’s words to him.

Almost.

It was a memory full of beautiful human emotion, but one that he had wrapped in ugly code.

So it remained locked away.

He had erased the memory from Superman.

It was only fair that he pretended it was erased from his own.

**Author's Note:**

> Original A/N from deviantart:
> 
> TADAA! Today's prompt was Angst Day, which I suggested. So I bring you one serving of Dina-styled angst. Woot woot. It could be argued that Brainy only erased the part of Clark's memory where Brainy restored the city, but I'd like to think the whole adventure was taken out of his memory. If you're like me and ever wondered how Superman and Brainiac sorted out the whole 'finding out that the original Brainiac caused the destruction of Krypton' then hey this could totally be your headcanon. *gets tomotoes thrown at me 'cause why in the heck would you want a sad thing for a headcanon*. Fine, but just remember that it's totally possible for Brainy and Superman to have gotten together only for Superman to be made to forget cause Brainy wants to protect the timestream. *in which tomatoes are not painful enough so rocks are used instead*.
> 
> It's so bad but I might have enjoyed writing this out of all the ones I have so far. Heh. Hope you enjoyed! (Or should I hope you didn't? lol)


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